Automobile-signal.



J. H. IVIIICLEAN.v

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25. I9Is.

Patented Oct. 16, lJlT.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IIIII I II lll! .I II

A TTORNEYS J. H. MACLEAN.

AUTOMOBlLE SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25. |916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4C 4i 4Q Patented Oct. 16,1917.

W/T/VESSES 41.6. K5

ATTORNEYS IMI away.

JOHN nuann maman, or Yann aaron, anoniem.

AUTOMOBILE-SIGNAL.

assenze.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ct. 116, i191 7.

.appnmion mea november as, 191e. seal no. massa To all 'whom "t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HUBAND MAC- LEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ann Arbor, in the county of Washtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Automobile- Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in automoblle si als, and has for its object to pro.- vide a nvice of the character specified, wherein a series of signaling arms isprO- vided normally incased and spring held in inoperative position, and having means for swinging any predetermined signal into operative osition, and having other means for releasaby holdin the said signal in such osition, and capa le of being manually reeased or automatically released by the moving into operative posltion of another signal, and wherein lighting means is provided controlled by the swinging of the signal into operative osition.

In the rawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the improved signal with parts broken away.v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the locking mechanism for holding the signals in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a side view with parts broken F Figa 4 is a section-on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lock or latch. v Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the wirg. Inl the present embodiment of the invention, a casin 1 is provided for containing the signals, t e said casing having one side open, and having a clip 2 for permitting the same to be connected to a portion .of the automobile indicated at 3. The signals are in the form' of plates, four being provided in the presentl instance, the same being `designated bythe reference characters 4, 4a, 4b, and 4, and they are pivotally connected with the-upper end of the casing l.

The plate 4 is secured'to a shaft 5, journaled transversely of the casing, and having at its outer end a knob6 for convenience in turning the shaft. The plate 4a is secured to a sleeve 7 mounted on the shaft 5 and having at its outer end a knob 8. The plate 4b ,is scured to a sleeve 9 journaled on thesleeve 7 and having at its outer end a knob 10, and

l the late 4c is secured to a sleeve l1 mounted on t e sleeve 9 and having at its outer end a knob 12. Since' the sleeves and the-shafts are inde endent of each other, it will be evident that y turning any predetermined knob the plate connected therewith may be swungv intov operative position. The respective knobs have indicating means, in the resent instance said knobs 6, 8, 10 and 1'2 bem marked R, L, s A, L right, left, stop and ahead, and t ese legends are arranged on the respective plates, the legend Right being on the plate 4, the legend Left on the plate 4a, the legend Stop on the plate 4b and the legend Ahead on theplate 4.

A spring 13 is connected with each plate, each spring having a coil encircling the hub on the plate, and being connected to thek plate at one end, while the opposite end is hooked over the pin 14 extending transversely of the casing above the shaft 5. The

' in the casin toward and from the shaft 5,

and has a ead at its outer end for convenience in manipulating the same.

A spring 18 is provided in connection with the latch member said spring acting normally to force the latch member toward the shaft 5 and into engagement with the notches 16 of the plate. lBecause of the cam 15, it will be evident that as a plate is swung upward into operative position, it will force the latch outward, until the notch 16 of the plate registers with the latch. The forcing of the latch outward, however,l releases any plate that may be already in operative positlon, and that plate which is swung upward is limited in its swinging movement gy a, shoulder 19 at the end of the notch 16.

he plates are limited in their movement into lnoperative position by a cross pin 20 at the lower end of the casing and by shoulders 2] on the plates -at the lower ends 'of the cams 15 and 16.

lA reiiector 22 of approXimatelyfU-shape is arranged above the plates when they are in operative position, and the electric light bulb 23 is arranged within the reflector. This bulb lights up both faces of the plates, andpreferably both faces of the platescarry the same legend. That is the plate 4 carries on both faces thelegend Right, the legends reading in opposite directions.l This bulb is mounted in a holder 24 at the upper end of the casing 1, and a lighting circult is provided for'controlling the light when a plate is lifted into operativev position. The said circuit 25 includes a battery 26, vor other source of electrical energy land a cut out switch 27 is interposed in-the'circuit. One of the terminals of the circuit is connected with the plates, andthe other with a contact "member 28 of substantially U-shape, which ismounted on an insulatingl block 29at the upper end of the casing 1. This member is so arranged that when 'any plate is swung in such position that both faces thereof will be illuminated by the lamp 23. The catch 17 4 will hold the plate'in this position, and if desired the plate may be released manually by means of the catch, when the spring 13` connected therewith will' yforce the plate back into inoperative position. If the plate bearing the legend Stop is left in place, until the driver is ready to go ahead, the lifting of the plate bearing the legend Ahead will -release the plate bearing thev legend Stop, and will permit it to drop back into the casing, Thus the moving of any one plate releases any vplate that may be in operative position. If the electric light is not desired,

the circuit may be opened by means of the ,cut out switch 27.

a series of plates pivoted in the' casing to swing on a common axis at the top thereof, a knob outside the casing for each plate and connected therewith for swinging the plate into horizontal or operative position, a spring for vreturning each' plate to inoperative position, a common latch for holding the plates in operative position, each plate having means for releasing the latch as it is moved into operative position, said latch being releasable manually, 'a reflector above the position of the plates when they are in operative position .and having lighting means for lighting both faces of the plates, the opposite; faces of each plate bearing the sane legend, andthe knobshaving indications indicating the plate to which they are connected, an electrical circuit in which the lighting means'is interposed,'and means operated by the movement of the plates into operative position for controlling the circuit. y

,2. A device of the character specified, comprising a casinghaving one side open, a

series of plates pivoted in the casing to swing on a' common axis at' the top thereof, a knob outsidethe casing for each plate and connected .therewith for swinging the plate into horizontal or 'operative' position, a

spring for returning each plate to inoperative position, and a common latch for holding the plates in operative position, eachq plate having means for releasing the latch as it is moved into o erative position.

`JOHN H BAND MACLEAN. 

